Little Bits of Hope
by freifraufischer
Summary: Regal Believer. Minific. Henry tries to give Regina a little bit more hope about finding a better story in the search for the Author.


_A/N: written as a tumblr prompt: in the finale (4.11) after they visit the sorcerer's house Regina and Henry head to their home. A moment where Henry talks to her seriously about everything, he realizes she's still not believing and he takes the quest upon himself to give her her happy ending. Minor bit of what some might consider anti-Hook or anti-CS but within character for Regina._

* * *

Regina's joy at finding the library was enough, at least momentarily, to erase some of the sadness of the day. But as the three of them were walking down the steps from the Author's house Emma put a hand on Henry's shoulder. "Why don't you go get in the car, I need to talk to your mom."

He nodded, happy. He'd wanted to take one of the blank books with them, but Regina had suggested it might not be wise. There was no way to know if the author was still around... she hadn't told anyone about the replacement page that was now floating in pieces on the wind somewhere out on the edge of town she supposed... but it's magical appearance suggested to her that he was. Snow owed her her quarter back. That hadn't been about hope. That had been about playing with her emotions.

She should know. That's probably what she'd do if she was torturing a villain.

It might even be what she'd do to Rumple if she had the power.

Part of her wondered if the author was someone _she _had hurt and that's why he was doing this to her. She wasn't a good person, she knew that, but she was trying. And remembered that she was mostly succeeding these days when Henry got in the passenger side of the Mercedes. He was going home with her tonight. If she wasn't doing better he wouldn't be. Tonight was a reminder, whatever else she didn't have, she would at least have Henry.

"Are you going to be alright tonight? I can come over, we can watch a movie, the three of us. Or I can ask my mother and I can even make her promise not to give any hope speeches..."

She shook her head and smiled, "Snow seems to know when to give them and when not to these days. I may dine out for years on her dissing the Queen of Arendelle's blind faith."

Emma shifted uncomfortably and part of Regina was happy to see it.

That was of course the part she wasn't supposed to be listening to anymore. "I'll be fine Emma, thank you."

"Shots some other time?"

Regina paused, and smiled a little. "Some other time. As long as it doesn't involve the pirate."

"He said something about you and him..."

"You might want to tell him that if he says anything more about him and I, I know spells that can remove other appendages."

"ALLLL right." Emma said holding up her hands.

"Emma... find out from him how Rumple got his heart. That's not the kind of thing that happens innocently."

"Well, clearly Gold went off the deep end when he was a slave to the Wicked Witch."

"Emma... I know Gold. And I know your pirate. Find out the entire story."

Emma frowned, "Alright."

Regina went the steps to the car and started the engine.

"We have a place to look now... we know the author is real." Henry said with a smile.

"You weren't sure before?"

"No, I was... I was just beginning to wonder if you were."

Regina smiled. "There is an author. It's more than we knew before."

She drove in silence, and could feel Henry watching her.

"I'm sorry about Robin Hood."

She just offered a smile.

"... if that was a plot twist on the part of the author I'm going to deck him."

"Henry! You shouldn't be ..."

"Threatening violence?"

"Yes. I'm not setting the best example on that I know..."

"You usually don't threaten to punch people. That's Emma."

"Well, we both should be setting a better example."

"Mom... I know you've lost faith."

"I ..." She smiled a little. "I'm trying not to and tonight helped a lot."

"If there is a man doing this to you he can be defeated. And good guys always defeat bad guys."

"Henry, I think that may actually be my problem."

"Anyone who would do what he's done to you today is a much bigger bad guy than you ever were."

She glanced over at him. "No one should be able to write away anyone's happy ending."

She smiled. "You are right, they shouldn't, Henry."


End file.
